Harry Potter and the Tutshill Tornadoes Chaser
by happyendings55
Summary: Harry Potter didn't know what he was supposed to do when his wife left him with three kids to raise. However, he was certain it wasn't supposed to be falling for another Quidditch player.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Seven years and three months ago…**

**(Mar. 3, 2009)**

Harry Potter was the Boy-Who-Lived, the wizard who saved them all, and now he was dumbstruck.

"I don't want to take care of kids. I want to play Quidditch," Ginny said as she picked up her old luggage from her Holyhead Harpies days. She opened the front door of their shared home of eight years and left. Harry was speechless. Ginny had just given birth to their daughter a month ago, how could she leave them like that? He was glad that Molly had James and Albus. Harry wouldn't have known what to do if they had been there for their mother's abandonment.

A loud wail came from upstairs. Harry took the steps two-at-a-time. He found his daughter in her cradle at the foot of his bed.

"Shh, Lily, it'll be okay," he cooed to her. Her sobs dulled at the sound of her father's voice. She was small and Harry marveled at her. Harry lifted her to his shoulder. He needed to go get his sons and talk to his mother-in-law.

"Harry?" Molly asked when he stepped out of the fireplace with baby Lily.

"Um, can we speak alone?" He asked trying to make sure he didn't alert James and Albus to his presence yet.

"You're here early," she whispered when they took seats. She seemed to understand Harry's urgency to be unheard. Lily was set in her baby pen where they both could see her.

"Ginny left," he told her somberly.

"What do you mean?" Molly asked confused.

Harry lost his control and sputtered, "Ginny left. She said she didn't want to raise the kids and that she was meant to play Quidditch."

Molly's look mirrored the one he had when Ginny walked out the door.

* * *

**Seven years and one month ago…**

**(May 1, 2009)**

"Miss Pucey, how does it feel to be the first female player in history to join the Tutshill Tornadoes team?" A reporter in the crowd of many asked the girl at the podium.

"It's a dream come true. I never thought that I would get the chance to play professional Quidditch, but now it's even more amazing that I'm a twenty-one-year-old woman making it here," Ariella Pucey responded to the question. She beamed with a big smile.

"Are you worried that the league's best Chaser has returned to the Holyhead Harpies?" A different reporter questioned.

"I have heard that Ginevra Weasley is an amazing Chaser, and I am going to be honored to play against her, but no I'm not worried," she answered honestly. The rest of the Tutshill Tornadoes team joined her at the stage. Everyone was excited to ask the team questions about their newly acquired teammate.

"Mr. Wood, how do you feel about having a young woman on your team?" A question was directed to Oliver Wood, the team's Keeper and captain. He had been moved to the team to get him out of the reserve positions.

"I played in school with girls on me team so I think it'll be great," he told the reporter with a smile. Ariella thanked him for the compliment.

"Blaise and Roger, are you looking forward to having a new Chaser to coordinate with?"

"Of course we are," Blaise Zabini answered as he gave Ariella a friendly pat on the shoulder. A photographer took that moment for a photo opportunity.

"Mr. Malfoy, how do you feel about your late wife's cousin being a teammate?" A very insensitive reporter called out above the crowd. Draco Malfoy looked out at the crowd and tensed. The second anniversary of his wife's death was in two days and it was a question that made him internally angry.

"That is an irrelevant and insensitive question and Mr. Malfoy refrains from answering it," the team's publicist informed the crowd of journalists. The question and answer session ended soon after that.

"Alright team, let's practice," Wood said to them as they went back to their locker rooms.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Harry Potter's Unusual Life**

**About seven years later…**

**(June 5, 2016)**

"Dad!" James shouted from the bottom of the stairs up to Harry.

"What James?" Harry called back as he helped his daughter into Chudley Cannons' paraphernalia.

"We're going to be late!" James stomped in frustration. Harry sighed. He couldn't begrudge his son for his excitement. The boy had been looking forward to going to this Quidditch match since Lily's birthday in January. It was a present for all three of them for their birthdays. James still had a month and eleven days until he turned eleven. The match was the Tutshill Tornadoes (James and Al's favorite team) versus the Chudley Cannons (Lily's favorite team). Harry had felt that they needed a family event before James left for Hogwarts in September. He knew his other son, Albus, was on-edge about James leaving. Harry was certain it was because the last person who left their lives never came back.

"We'll be down in two minutes James! I promise we won't be late. Albus, Scorpius, are you two ready?" Harry asked down the hall.

"Coming!" Al shouted back to his father. When he and Scorpius emerged from his room, they were dressed in Tutshill Tornadoes robes. Harry never thought he'd see the day when a Potter and a Malfoy would be best mates, but here it was in their sons. Harry didn't think it would have been possible if it weren't for Malfoy's misfortune eight years ago.

**xxxxxxx**

_Harry sat at his desk in his office. He couldn't wait to get home and give Albus his present. He was a year old today and Harry had gotten him a toy Snitch. He always stared at the one Harry had from his first game._

"_Hey Harry," Ron interrupted his thoughts, "Malfoy is here and he refuses to see anyone but you."_

_Harry nodded his head and made a gesture to show Malfoy into the office. Malfoy came into the office disheveled holding his son. Harry noticed that Draco had been crying. Also, he observed that the little boy in his arms was crying, but he must have been under a silencing charm because it was inaudible._

"_What can I do for you Malfoy?" Harry asked reluctantly._

"_I know that I don't merit your help after how I was and because you've already saved my sorry life twice, but someone murdered Astoria," he explained hurriedly._

_Harry was shocked that this was what Malfoy was here to say. When he didn't respond, Malfoy continued._

"_They killed her in front of Scorpius and left a note," he explained as he handed some parchment to Harry._

Draco Malfoy,

Your wife was just the beginning of the prices you will pay for your past crimes. Your son's nightmares about his mother will haunt him until we return for him.

_There was no signature and the handwriting was plain. Harry shuddered as he read the last sentence again. He looked at Scorpius Malfoy and knew the he now had something in common with him: they both had been a little over a year old when their mothers had been killed in front of them. There were bogeys running down his pale face as he calmed into sleep after the crying bout. Harry still hadn't spoken after five minutes. Draco stared at him and took the silence as a bad sign._

"_Please don't let him die for something I've done. I don't care if they come and kill me. I don't care if you let them because it's what I deserve, but please don't let my son die," he pleaded with the former Gryffindor. It was in that moment that Harry had forgiven Malfoy for the past. He did it because he knew that it had taken a lot for the man to ask him specifically for help. Also, he just admitted to loving someone more than himself. It seems Narcissa's influence happened to be in her son after all._

"_Malfoy, I'll help you and I won't let anyone kill you. I can tell you first-hand that it sucks to grow up without a father, even one that's a pain in the arse like you," Harry responded in jest._

"_Thank you," Draco answered with his outstretched much like it had been sixteen years previous, only this time Harry shook it._

**xxxxxx**

Harry looked at his children and smiled. They may not have a mother, but they were doing okay because they did have him.

"Dad, you're really going to let Lily wear Cannons' stuff?" Al whined.

"My dad would be upset if it was me, but I think that's because he's on the team," Scorpius gave his input. It was true, Draco Malfoy was now the Tornadoes' Seeker and how they had acquired their tickets for today's match. Harry had recommended Malfoy to Wood after he declined the offer for himself, and Draco told him anytime he wanted tickets he would make sure Harry had them. It was one of the former Slytherin's ways for thanking Harry for everything.

"I like the Cannons," Lily protested.

"Lily can wear the Cannons, now let's get to the Burrow," Harry instructed as he lined them up at the fireplace. They entered one-by-one and disappeared into green flames. Harry went last and arrived in the Burrow just in time for Molly to rush and give him a hug. Ever since Ginny left, Harry had been more like Molly's child than his ex-wife was. Ginny barely contacted her mother. There was the occasional letter, but other than that, nothing. It was worse than when Percy had been estranged from the family. Percy didn't leave behind three children to play Quidditch.

"Uncle Harry!" A redheaded boy screeched as he leapt at Harry.

"Hello Hugo," Harry greeted his nephew. Hugo beamed at him and then went to Lily. They had a very animated whisper discussion that Harry didn't hear.

"The Portkey is ready so we should head out," Ron said as he gave Harry a pat on the shoulder.

"Alright kids, let's go," Harry said to them. They walked out the back door and headed to the lake at the edge of the Burrow's property. Lying on the ground was an old car tire.

"Everyone grab onto the tire," Ron instructed the same way his dad had the year they went to the Quidditch World Cup. Six small hands and two adult ones held onto the tire as it started to flash.

They were tugged and appeared at the Quidditch Pitch for the match.

"Are we at the right match?" Harry asked Ron when he noticed people were dressed in either blue or dark green robes.

"Yes," Ron said as he took in the sight of no one in orange robes.

Just then Draco met them at the Pitch's opening.

"We're playing the Harpies. There was a last minute change in the match schedule," he said to them. Harry frowned. The kids knew that their mother was a Chaser on the Harpies.

"Do you want me to get you tickets to the next match instead?" Malfoy suggested at Harry's tensed state. James's face fell and Harry's heart lurched.

"No, we'll stay for this one," Harry told them. Ron gave him a wary look. He knew Harry would be uneasy at having to watch Ginny play. To prove Ron's thoughts correct, Harry was anxious the entire climb to their seats.

"Here's your box, I have to head down and get ready," Draco left them.

"Good luck Dad! I hope you catch the Snitch for your birthday!" Scorpius said to him and Draco grinned at him.

"Daddy can you change my outfit to blue?" Lilly asked quietly when they finally were settled.

"Are you sure?" Harry questioned before removing his wand from his robe pocket. Lily nodded and Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He wasn't sure how he would have reacted if she wanted to wear Harpies' colors. Lily's robes were changed to a light blue and had the Tornadoes' crest across her front.

"Dad, look the players are coming onto the Pitch," James exclaimed and got Harry's attention. He smiled at his son. He would not let Ginny's presence ruin this for any of his kids.

"Look, there's my dad," Scorpius pointed to the only player on the Pitch with pale blonde hair. Harry blinked because for a moment he thought Malfoy was standing with Ginny, but it couldn't be because he could clearly see his ex-wife on the other team.

"Who's that?" Harry pointed to the woman next to Malfoy.

"Dad, that's Ariella Pucey. Remember Tornadoes' first female player in history! My favorite Chaser ever! She's the best in the league. Everyone used to think it was…" James trailed off before he could say something about his mother.

Harry got angry. He wasn't sure why his ex-wife kept creeping into their conversations.

Harry tried to lighten the mood by saying, "That's right. I just didn't know what she looked like." Even though he didn't say it, Ron and the kids knew he meant, 'I didn't know she looked like your mother.'

In a few minutes everything was forgotten as the match was underway. Harry was intrigued by Pucey's ease at flying. He silently agreed with James that she was better than his mother.

Two hours into the match the Tornadoes were winning 170 to 30. Most of their goals could be attributed to Ariella Pucey. Harry was impressed with her flying. He almost wished he hadn't turned down the offer to be the Tornadoes' Seeker. Although he was certain Malfoy was most likely better than him these days because he was out-of-practice. He didn't care because their once awkward friendship, but now completely normal one, made Harry forget to be jealous of Malfoy's success.

"Daddy, Uncle Malfoy's going to get the Snitch!" Lily squeaked in delight pointing at Draco as he gracefully extended for the little golden ball. Harry cheered along with the crowd seconds later when he caught it. Even Ron, who was getting better at accepting Malfoy's part in their lives, could be heard cheering for him. Rose jumped up and down clapping her hands. Harry suspected that was more for Al and Scorpius than for her own satisfaction with the match's outcome. Harry knew his goddaughter was much like Hermione in that she went to matches for her friends not because she truly loved the sport.

"Well we should head to the changing room for our special pass," Ron suggested. Harry agreed. Malfoy had given them access to the team's changing room so that the kids got a chance to meet the players. The eight of them made their way to the team's room and waited until their passes were verified for access.

Draco met them at the door, "Interesting turn of events Potter, I had to verify you had access." He smirked and gave Scorpius all of his attention. Harry smiled at both the obviousness of Malfoy's jest and the way he made his son the center of his world.

"Good match Malfoy, and happy birthday," Harry answered him.

"He's still a foul git," Ron grumbled and Harry rolled his eyes. Ron didn't have the same experience with Malfoy that he did. It was one of those things (much like fighting a full-grown mountain troll) that you become friends after sharing. Harry had caught the man who was going to kill Malfoy's son moments before he actually did it. Even when you're sworn enemies, that changes things. Ron used to argue with Harry about it all the time until he was blue in the face, but Harry refused to be budged. He and Malfoy had made peace and it was going to stay that way.

"First stop, Oliver Wood, our captain," Malfoy introduced the kids to Oliver. Harry shook his former housemate's hand. Wood told Harry that he was glad for the recommendation on Malfoy even if he was a slimy git. Wood handed out Tutshill Tornadoes Quaffles to each of the kids and was the first to sign the balls for them. Draco signed them after Wood was done.

"Alright, continuing on," Draco started again and moved them to the next section of the lockers, "Our first Chaser, Blaise Zabini."

"Hi Blaise," Scorpius greeted his godfather.

"Hey kid, how do you think your dad did?" Blaise asked hoping for a critique of Malfoy's flying.

"Brilliant!" Scorpius said. Blaise frowned.

"Not the answer you were looking for, was it?" Ron asked him jokingly. Draco rolled his eyes and told Blaise to sign their bloody Quaffles.

Draco was bringing them to Roger Davies's private locker section when he stopped.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked and Malfoy shook his head.

"Just wait a moment, let me make sure Roger is done changing," he told them. Harry tried to see what Malfoy was really up to and heard voices.

"Listen, my son, Potter, Weasley, and their kids are coming in here so stop your arguing for now," Harry heard Draco say, "And Davies, if this argument is for what I think it is for, rest assured that I'll be informing Wood." Harry could feel the chill run up his spine from the venom in Malfoy's voice.

Draco came back around to them and in his normal drawl, "Well our other two Chasers are both over here." Harry noted the tone in Draco's voice was uneasy. They rounded the corner where Roger Davies, still as good-looking as their Hogwarts days, was standing with who Harry presumed to be Ariella Pucey. As Harry saw her up close he realized there were subtle differences between her and his ex. Her hair was slightly lighter than Ginny's, more a strawberry blonde than a red. Her eyes were different, too. Ariella's eyes were a greenish tan instead of cinnamon colored.

"You're Ariella Pucey!" James shouted when he saw her. She gave him a warm smile. Roger looked angry, but quickly hid it.

"Yes, James, this is Ariella Pucey. Ariella, I'll have you know that James Potter is your biggest fan," Malfoy introduced them. Harry was surprised when she didn't even flinch at the name. Usually people heard his surname and immediately looked for him.

"Well if you're James Potter that means that…ah, yes, Harry Potter, good to see you," Roger greeted Harry. He outright ignored the children.

"Hello Davies," Harry said unhappily because he couldn't believe he would pay no attention to the kids.

"Ariella say hello to Harry Potter. Don't be so rude to him. He is important, darling," Roger said to Ariella and Harry could tell she was annoyed. Malfoy looked ready to throttle him.

"I'm sorry for being rude," she said icily giving a cold glare to Davies, "I'm Ariella Pucey." She held out her hand for Harry to shake.

"Don't worry; I'm okay with you giving more attention to the kids. They're the fans," Harry said to her and was rewarded with a dazzling smile. James quickly jumped between them and started asking Ariella a million questions.

"What House were you at Hogwarts? Who do you think is your best opponent? How often do you practice?" James asked her without breathing.

"Told you he was your biggest fan," Draco told her. Everyone laughed and James looked perturbed.

"One question at a time, James," Harry said to his son.

"How 'bout I answer those three quickly," Ariella asked him. James agreed with her that those were the most important questions he had. She answered the first one, "I was in Slytherin in school." James made a face, but quickly hid it when Harry looked at him sternly.

"Excuse me, we need to clear out the guests soon," someone told Malfoy.

"But she didn't get to answer all my questions," James whined.

"Sorry, we have to keep going, we still have to meet Peakes and Rickett," Malfoy apologized to James. As they were leaving Ariella stopped them.

"If you would like, I can send your dad a letter to meet up and answer all your questions," she said to James. He nodded vigorously and Harry told her that he would appreciate that. She agreed to send him an owl before July. The group started to move away from Davies's section and Harry overheard Roger and Ariella speaking again.

"Roger, you were with another woman," he heard her accuse.

"Well, darling, you're hardly good at what she is. You're good on the Pitch, but not there," Roger responded. Harry waited to hear the echo from a slap, but it never came.

* * *

**(June 6, 2016)**

"Roger," Ariella started, "We're not getting married. You were with another woman."

"Darling, I've already talked to your father. Just because you're unresponsive doesn't mean that I don't want to marry you," Roger explained to her as if she were a child.

Ariella hated when she was treated this way. Her father had been condescending as she was growing up. 'Let your brother do that Ariella. Adrian is much better at that than you Ariella.' She hated hearing those words.

"Plus, if we tried more often than you let me now, then maybe you'd get better," she tuned back into his words. Ariella was so livid hearing this, she retaliated.

"Roger, we're not getting married. My father hasn't told me what to do since I graduated Hogwarts and he's not going to start now," Ariella told him with such finality he stepped back. She used his shock to disapparate.

Once she had gotten to her flat, she breathed calmly. Ariella believed him when he had said she was no good at being physical. Mainly her insecurities were sprung from Roger and her former boyfriend, Everett Montague. Both had told her she was unresponsive and lacking. Ariella thought that maybe Everett's lack of excitement had been the problem, but now she really believed it was her fault. Roger had the same complaints he did, but she was a famous and talented Quidditch player now. This meant that she didn't have to stay with someone like she had with Everett.

Ariella had only been in her flat for a few moments when her father's head appeared in the Floo.

"Ariella, I want to be certain you will be at your brother's birthday party tomorrow," he told her.

"I said I would be there," Ariella confirmed exasperated.

"Yes, but being on that team, you cancel a lot," he said to her with an emphasis on team.

"Father, I do not cancel on you. Sometimes you plan things for days when I have scheduled matches. That's not cancelling that is telling you I can't make it long before the event happens," she explained to him for the thirtieth time.

"Don't use that tone with me young lady," he scolded.

"Father, I'm 29, I'm not a young lady," she responded before walking away from her fireplace. She was getting tired of Loren Pucey treating her like she was eleven years old.

Ariella heard him grumble before disappearing. Usually he got to the 'lousy place you live' part of the conversation before she started to ignore him, but she was tired of arses for the day.

Her next match wasn't until June sixteenth so she decided to write a letter to James Potter that she could meet him and his father for lunch on the tenth. Ariella thought it was very important to be nice to the fans, especially kids. If it weren't for them, the sport wouldn't have the same meaning.

_**James Potter,**_

_**I would like to invite you and your family to lunch on June tenth to talk some more about Quidditch. You can reply with this owl.**_

_**Sincerely,**_

_**Ariella Pucey**_

She read it one more time, and thought simple was best. Calliope, her owl, awaited the instructions as she tied the parchment to the bird's leg. Ariella was certain that James Potter would write back as soon as humanly possible. He was so excited to meet her and it made her smile.

* * *

**(June 7, 2016)**

Ariella was completely bored. Luckily, she was not the only one. Her older brother, Adrian, was with her in the corner of the party. He was the reason that Ariella was even here. If the party had been for someone else, then she would not have shown.

"How's the team?" He asked her as they tried to keep away from all the high-society people that were at the party.

"They're good. Blaise and Draco said they would be here sometime later," she told him. Ariella hoped that he didn't notice she left out Roger.

"What about Roger?"

Ariella sighed. Adrian just couldn't be fooled.

"We broke up and I can't tell you why because you're my older brother," she said with a small blush. Adrian made a face. He was eight years her senior, and he always had a sense of protecting her.

"Well, I don't want to know," he said.

"No, but I do because I'm sure we're going to hex Davies," Blaise said as he joined them in their corner.

"I'm not telling you two either because you act like my brothers in this one's absence," she explained to them.

"That's because we don't have sisters and Adrian made us promise that we wouldn't let anyone fuck with you," Draco drawled.

"Adrian, your mother wishes to speak to you," Adrian's wife, Melissa, interrupted mocking their mother's smarmy voice perfectly. He laughed at her joke and followed her over to their mother, Eleanora Pucey.

"I feel sorry for the bloke, your mum's mental," Blaise said as he watched Adrian get pulled into some boring conversation with old bats. Draco and Ariella let out a soft chuckle.

"Now, your brother has left, what did Davies do?" Blaise asked seriously. Ariella shook her head. She was not explaining her inadequacies to these two. They were practically an extra set of older brothers themselves.

"He was being a prat," she honestly answered.

"More specific, Ariella," Draco coaxed. Ariella looked at him and felt guilty. Draco had been her family long before Quidditch. He was married to Astoria, her older cousin. Ariella knew Draco well by the time Astoria was murdered.

"He slept with someone else," Ariella reluctantly muttered to them. Draco's fists clenched and Blaise looked ready to Avada Kedavra someone.

"That slimy git!" Blaise finally recovered. Ariella tried to get them to change the subject to something else so neither committed murder. Plus, she really did not want to have to admit the reason why Roger sought out another woman's company.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Ariella Pucey's Disasters**

**June 10, 2016**

Ariella looked at Roger with disgust, "Get out of my way Roger. I have a meeting to get to."

"We have to talk," he insisted as he tried to back her into her home.

"No we don't. I made it quite clear that there is no more we," she responded venomously. She was going to be late for her lunch with little James Potter if he didn't get out of her way.

"Ariella, you can't just dump me because I slept with another witch."

"Actually, that's exactly what you're supposed to do when someone cheats on you. I know it's a bloody foreign concept for you, but I mean it." She stepped away from him and disapparated to her destination.

She appeared outside the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. She was supposed to meet James and his dad at a café in the Alley for lunch.

James Sirius Potter was sitting at lunch with his dad and the best Quidditch Chaser to grace the league. It would be an understatement to say that he was excited.

"I'm so glad you were able to make lunch," Ariella said very sincerely to both James and Harry. Harry smiled at her. She must be kindhearted to think it was an honor for her to meet with James and not the other way around.

"I wouldn't have missed it for anything, even going to Hogwarts!" James said excitedly and Harry rolled his eyes. He most certainly would not have missed Hogwarts for a meeting with a Quidditch player that was easy on the eyes. Although, he could see the appeal, Harry shook his head away from those thoughts. Quidditch women were a bad thing to get involved with and he had three children to prove it.

"Well James, what would you like to know?" Ariella asked him and before James could launch a thousand questions at her, Harry interrupted.

"Now James, take out your notebook, remember we're going to do this one question at a time so you don't drive Miss Pucey nutters."

"Ariella, call me Ariella," she corrected and Harry nodded his head.

"Ariella Pucey, you told me you were a Slytherin in Hogwarts, how many times did you win the Quidditch cup?"

Ariella tried to hide her laugh at James' enthusiasm. He refused to call her anything but Ariella Pucey.

"Well James Potter, when I played we won the Quidditch cup four out of the seven years I was there. Those were the four years that I was captain of the team," she answered for him. Harry looked at her impressed.

"Who do you think is your most note-worthy opponent?" James asked, and Ariella looked stunned. She would think he would know that his mother was the next best Chaser out there.

"Well my best opponent is your mother, Ginny," Ariella said and James and Harry's faces immediately darkened. She immediately began to stutter an apology, "I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's fine. You would not know the bad circumstances surrounding my ex-wife and our family," Harry said through a clenched jaw. He was not mad at Ariella per se, but was upset that somehow Ginny always came up whenever he was around her.

James, trying to keep his dad from making them leave, immediately jumped into the next question, "How often do you practice?" Harry looked at James wanting to take him away from this constant reminder of his mother, but he could tell his son wanted to stay more than anything. Ariella looked to Harry for confirmation on whether or not she should answer. He gave her a curt nod.

"We practice every morning for six hours," she answered and James' jaw dropped.

"That's forty-two hours a week!" He exclaimed.

"Yes, being a Quidditch player is a lot of work, but there are few things in the world I would trade it for," Ariella told him. Harry thought sarcastically that children were not one of the few things seeing that Ginny just hauled out of their lives for the sport.

James asked questions for another half an hour until their food arrived. Ariella thought he was one of the most charming little boys she had ever met. She wondered what the problem was with him and his mother. How could anyone have a problem with him?

"Where are your other children?" Ariella asked once she finished her meal.

"Albus is with Scorpius at Malfoy's, and Lily is with her aunt and uncle," Harry started, "Al is infatuated with the position of Seeker so he's more concerned with Malfoy than any other player. Lily takes after her godfather and cheers on the worst team in the league, the Cannons."

"Oh, and I know that Scorpius enjoys the position of Chaser, but Blaise has me beat there since he's the kid's godfather," Ariella said with a laugh and then added, "The Cannons, really?" James laughed heartily at that.

"That's what I ask every time she puts on a Cannons jumper," he said to her. They both knew the Cannons hadn't won a championship in this century (and probably the last one as well).

"Be nice to your sister," Harry said to James.

"But Dad, you know the Cannons are rubbish," James whined.

"I know, but Lily gets to cheer for whomever she wishes," Harry answered.

"Alright," James said glumly.

"Hey, don't worry kid. Just remember you're a fan of the best team in the league," Ariella said to cheer him up a little. Harry smiled at her. He thought it was nice of her to keep his son cheerful.

"I know I am," he responded proudly. Ariella smiled at him and glanced at her watch. She needed to leave soon. She was attending the opera and having dinner with her parents and brother. If she didn't get a head start on getting ready, then she would never be presentable.

"Have I answered all of your questions?" Ariella asked.

"Not even close," James beamed up at her.

"Alright, since I have to go, even though I'd rather not, I'm going to give you permission to owl me questions whenever you want. I want to be able to answer them all. You're the first fan I've ever let do that," she told James and his eyes went wide.

"You hear that Dad? I get to owl Ariella Pucey whenever I want!"

"Yes, I heard, but I don't think Ariella would appreciate it if you owled her at three in the morning. So I'll make sure it's only at reasonable hours. If I don't, then he'll be sending you owls every hour," Harry explained.

"Oh thanks," Ariella answered. She hadn't thought about putting time restrictions in place. Harry was probably right, though. James seemed like the type of kid who would keep owling even if it was the middle of the night.

* * *

"Good evening sister," Adrian said in mock formality when he saw his younger sister.

"Good evening brother," Ariella mocked further as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. She greeted Melissa as well. They giggled a little before their father gave them a stern look. Ariella knew that he would soon give them the, "Why do my children act this way?" speech.

"Why is it my children do not act like respectable pureblooded wizards?" Loren asked on cue.

"You would think he'd get sick of asking a question he doesn't have the answer to," Ariella smarted. Loren glared at her, but then gave a smile as he looked at something past her head.

"What are you smiling at Loren, dear?" Eleanora asked of her husband.

"Roger has made it," he said and Ariella looked at him in disgust. How could he have invited Roger after she had told him not to do it?

Adrian spoke up before his sister exploded, "Father, I thought Ariella told you that she didn't want Roger around anymore?"

"She did, but I know what's best for her."

Ariella was shocked. She thought the days of her father controlling her life were over, obviously she was wrong.

"No Father, you really don't know what's best for me or you wouldn't have invited a man who cheated on me to dinner and the opera with my family!" Ariella yelled. The restaurant stopped and looked at her. "If you don't stop doing this, then I'm going to stop being your daughter." Were her final words before disapparating.

* * *

**June 16, 2016**

Harry approached the woman who reminded him too much of his ex-wife.

"Ariella," he said to her, "I need to speak to you."

"Yes Mr. Potter?" Ariella asked.

"I know that your intentions with James were good, but I don't know if having constant contact with someone who reminds him of his mother will be best," he explained.

Ariella looked shocked. She didn't find the comparison very flattering. Ginny Weasley was the league's biggest whiner. She complained about pay, partying, and plenty of other stuff.

"I don't know what you mean," she said to him.

"You're a beautiful Quidditch player who loves the game. Kids should not get their hopes and emotions set in someone who doesn't put their own emotions past the match. Now please, leave my son alone." He walked away from her.

Ariella stared at his receding form. She didn't understand the sudden abruptness of his request. She had thought that the lunch she shared with him and his son had gone fine.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Harry Potter's Thoughts**

**June 24, 2016**

"Potter? What the bloody hell is your problem?" Draco asked from the doorway of Harry's office.

"What?" He asked confused. He hadn't seen Malfoy in a week so he couldn't figure out why he sounded so mad.

"You told my friend to stay away from your son. Are you daft? Your kid loves her. Ariella is great with her fans. So I ask again, what is your problem?"

"Nothing Malfoy, I have my reasons," he answered just as Ron joined them in the office.

Ron asked, "What's all the bloody yelling about?"

"Scarhead, here, told Ariella to stay away from James like she's some bloody…" Draco didn't finish as the answer to his question started to form in his head.

"Bloody what? And why did you tell your son's hero to stay away from him?" Ron asked because he hadn't gotten to the same conclusion Draco had. Harry just shook his head and rubbed his scar in frustration. It never hurt anymore but he noticed that when he was frustrated he rubbed the spot like it did. Draco stared at him. He knew the answer, but was waiting for him to say it out loud.

"I just don't think it's healthy for him to start writing to a female Quidditch player," he lied.

"That's bullocks Potter and you know it. The reason you're being an arse is because she reminds you of your ex-wife!" Malfoy shouted before leaving his office and slamming the door. He was pissed that Ariella would get treated like bullocks just because she was a Quidditch player.

"Is that true?" Ron asked Harry. Harry couldn't answer. He wouldn't lie to his best mate, but he also couldn't say that he thought Ariella was going to be Ginny with his kids all over again.

* * *

James paced the front corridor of their house. He had sent Ariella Pucey a letter two days ago and she still hadn't written back. He was starting to think he wasn't important enough for her to write back. He kicked the wall and stomped upstairs to his room.

"James, what's the matter?" Albus asked his older brother.

"Ariella Pucey said she would write back to me when I sent letters, and well she hasn't," he admitted before slamming the door to his bedroom.

"James Sirius! Stop slamming doors!" Molly called up to him. She was watching them while Harry was at the Ministry. Normally they would have just gone to The Burrow, but James insisted he wait for the letter at his own house.

At six-thirty, Harry apparated into the front corridor of the house just in time to hear James slam another door and Molly's scolding. He calmly walked to the kitchen where he knew he would find his adopted mother. Another door crashed in the house upstairs.

"What is going on?" Harry asked the older woman.

"He's upset about something," she said softly. Harry chuckled to himself a bit. Molly was extremely soft on his kids because of Ginny's departure.

Al answered his father's question as he entered the kitchen and took one of the biscuits his grandmother had made, "He's mad because Ariella Pucey hasn't written back yet." Harry let out a long sigh. His reservations about James getting caught up in a woman that would just hurt him just came back to bite him in the arse.

"Maybe I should go talk to him. Two days isn't that long of a time," he suggested as he patted his youngest son on the back. Harry took the steps two at a time and knocked on James' door.

He heard movement, the door opened, and a very perturbed James peaked out and asked, "Yeah Dad?"

"Grandmum says you've been slamming doors all day. Care to tell me why?"

"Because Dad, she hasn't written me back. She doesn't think I'm a good enough fan. What am I going to do? She's the best Chaser in the league and she doesn't like me," he rattled out all at once like the distraught kid he was.

"Well son, she's a Quidditch player. You remember she said that she practices six hours a day, and well she probably has other stuff she has to do for the team. Give it some time. She probably will write back soon, when she has time," Harry tried to reason as he tried to figure out how he was going to apologize to her.

"You think so?" James asked trying to contain sniffles.

"I know so," Harry answered.

* * *

**June 25, 2016**

Harry was dreading this meeting. He did not want to retract his statement about Ariella being like Ginny and being bad for his family, but he had to if he was to make his son happy. She made his son happy.

"Potter, I won't let you go in there if you're going to antagonize my friend," Draco said to him in front of the doors to the changing rooms.

Harry shook his head, "I'm here to apologize. Whatever problem I have with Ariella is just that, my problem. She should not be punished for my beliefs."

"Good to hear," Draco responded and stepped to the side allowing Harry access to the rooms. Harry entered them and using his memory, went back to the room that was Ariella's. He stood in the doorway for a moment while she was putting on her gear. He coughed to get her attention.

Ariella's head snapped to the doorway. She half expected to see Roger, but was surprised, not happy, that it was the man who had accused her of being like Ginny Weasley a little over a week ago.

"Mr. Potter, to what do I owe this pleasure?" She practically spat at him.

"I deserve that," was all he said at first in recognition of her tone, "But, I'm here to apologize for the way I acted and what I said. It has more to do with having to piece my family back together after she left seven years ago. I walked into our home to a crying infant, her bags packed with Quidditch as her only excuse, and had to go to my mother-in-law's to tell my sons that their mother had left them. I'm sorry that I have taken that out on you, but it's the only explanation I have."

She nodded her head. It was awful to hear how a mother could just leave three children. Ariella's mother was cold and distant, but she would never have abandoned her and Adrian. She understood his apprehension, but that didn't mean that she had to like it.

"Mr. Potter, I understand that you have some shadows in your past, but I don't appreciate your assumption that I would be exactly like your ex-wife. We're two completely different players, let alone, two different women. I like James. He's a good kid, and I wouldn't let him down."

Harry sighed. Her words were very different than those of Ginny's, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was still very much like the woman who had left him. "James has written you. I'm going to step back and let you do what you say you'll do. I may not like it, but I'll live with it to make my son happy."

Ariella nodded at his words even though she could still see the hurt and disapproval in those often talked about green eyes.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Ariella Pucey's Weaknesses**

****(June 30, 2016)

"Dad! Dad! Look, Ariella Pucey sent me tickets to the next Tornadoes match!" James screamed around the Potter home.

Harry rolled his eyes, tracked his son down in their home and slightly scolded him, "James Sirius Potter, could you please stop yelling around the house? You'll wake Lily from her nap."

"But Dad, they're tickets to a match!"

"You get tickets from Uncle Malfoy all the time," Al pointed out to him.

James shook his head, "It's not the same. These are tickets from Ariella Pucey!" He said it as if Al and Harry should understand how they were different from any tickets they got from Malfoy.

"Okay," Al said as he escaped to his room.

Harry nodded. He did understand. Ariella Pucey was James' hero at the moment and tickets from her were like a pet dragon to Hagrid-the most precious thing in the world. "When is the match?"

"They're for my birthday, July sixteenth. She remembered my birthday!" James practically squealed with delight.

"Alright, well let's put them somewhere safe so that we don't bloody well lose them," Harry responded as James handed him the tickets. Against his better judgment, they would go to the match on the sixteenth because it made his son happy.

* * *

(July 2, 2016)

Ariella laughed as she read James Potter's thank you note. He had written everything in capital letters just to emphasize how appreciative he really was of the tickets she sent him for his birthday. She could almost hear exactly how he would be saying the words he wrote on the parchment.

"He's such a fun kid," she mumbled to herself as she penned a quick 'you're welcome' and told him that she was trying to see if she could get him a pass to watch a practice session. She knew he would be ecstatic for that. Ariella also knew that Harry would not be as happy about it. He kept comparing her to Ginny Weasley and she could not understand why. They were both Quidditch players, and that was the extent of their commonalities.

"Well I'll invite them into the team's rooms again and he'll see that I'm not coldhearted," she said aloud. Ariella wasn't even sure why she was trying to prove to him that she wasn't the same kind of woman his ex-wife was. It didn't make sense for her to be so preoccupied with what Harry Potter thought of her.

* * *

(July 5, 2016)

James sat at the kitchen table with his head practically in his cereal bowl.

"James, what time did you go to sleep last night?" Harry asked his oldest son.

"I don't know," James answered as he tried to keep himself sitting straight. He had spent a good portion of the night writing another letter to Ariella Pucey. He knew his dad would be mad, but he couldn't help it. He had written a letter to his own mother once. She ignored it. James had been heartbroken and sad for a very long time. He was relieved to know that his idol didn't hate him the same way his mother did and would write to him. James felt that writing to her was kind of like writing to a mother.

"Well when we get to your grandmum's I'm going to tell her you need to get some rest," Harry responded in an upset tone. He could only guess that James had spent half the night writing to the Tornadoes Chaser.

James nodded, "Okay."

Al and Lily just sat quietly listening to the exchange. They were both confused. James never willingly said yes to a nap and their father never seemed to be this upset when they stayed up later than they should. Their grandpa would occasionally let them stay up past their normal sleep time to listen to the radio.

"Finish your breakfast and we'll be off to the Burrow," Harry instructed including all of his children in his gaze. All of them nodded.

After another twenty minutes, all three of his children were in line in front of the fireplace. Harry looked at each of them. They each took a handful of Floo powder, threw it into the fireplace, and shouted their destination of the Burrow.

Molly was waiting at the other end as each of her ebony-haired grandchildren entered her kitchen. She smiled as finally her son-in-law was the last to enter.

"Good morning Molly. They've had their breakfast. You won't need to feed them until lunch," he said as he gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "And this one needs a nap as he was up all night writing to Quidditch players."

"This wouldn't be a player on the Tornadoes would it?" Molly asked as she looked at James. He smiled up at her with Ginny's eyes and Harry's everything else. If people loved his mother the way they had loved Lily Potter (nee Evans), they would say the same phrase Harry had heard a million times to James. Actually all three of her Potter grandchildren were dominant to Harry's looks.

"Who are you writing to?" Fred, George's oldest son and one of James' best companions, came asking.

"Ariella Pucey, she told me I could write to her whenever I want. I was just trying to figure out what I should write to her about next," James said with a half yawn.

Harry shook his head; this woman was beginning to infiltrate all parts of his life.

"Go nap, I'll see you when I'm back from work," Harry said as he hugged James, he went to Al and Lily and embraced them before leaving by Floo.

* * *

Harry was having a long day at work. There had been reports of Death Eater activity, extremist activity, and much more. He had been going out on raids since eight that morning. It was now after seven in the evening, and it wasn't looking like the reports were going to end. Harry had already Flooed Molly to let her know he probably wouldn't be able to get to the kids and they'd have to stay.

There was a knock at the door. Harry's head shot up from the paperwork he was reading. Ron stood up to get it. When he opened it, Ariella stood on the other side. Ron looked between the two, saw Harry sigh, and took it as his cue to leave the office.

She moved toward his desk and he stood still, slightly leaning on it, to hear her out, "Mr. Potter, I know for some reason you keep comparing me to your ex-wife, and that's your right if you really believe it. But, I think that your son is a great kid and a great fan. I would like to invite him to more of our stuff. If he becomes a player, which I think he might, then he could already have a standing with a team. Not many kids could say that."

Harry listened to her words. They were reasonable, even logical. Letting his son be exposed to a Quidditch team that young knowing that it was James' dream to play ever since he learned how to ride a broom, was the smart thing to do. This woman could help him do that, and probably do other things too. Harry knew he was physically attracted to her and decided to stop denying it to himself. He watched her pout her lips as she watched him struggle with whatever he was thinking. His thoughts were fuzzy as he focused on her mouth. He knew he was probably going to regret this decision later, but he didn't seem to care at the moment. Harry leaned into her and quickly met her pursed lips with his. He had expected her to taste similar to Ginny, but was delighted that she didn't.

Ariella was shocked at first by Harry's sudden connection to her mouth with his own. She stood still for the first four seconds before her body caught up to what was happening. Her hands found his hair and she started to lean into him. She couldn't understand how she was reacting. Ariella had never been sexually attracted to her former boyfriends.

The door creaked open and a loud, "Bloody hell Harry," could be heard before it shut again. It had pulled both of them back into the reality they had just left.

Harry stepped back from her horror-stricken. He couldn't believe he had just done that. Even Ariella put her hand up to her mouth as if to make sure it had happened. Assessing her reactions, Harry could see that her hair had slightly fallen out of its band, her clothes were mussed, and her lips were swollen from the snogging. He crossed his arms over his chest and sat back on his desk. "Ariella, you should probably leave." Harry's voice was coarse.

She shook her head and started, "Mr. Potter…"

"I think you can call me Harry now," he said mockingly.

"Okay, Harry, we need to talk about your son. We need to talk about this," she stammered as her thoughts raced.

He shook his head. Harry couldn't deal with this right now. "No, I can't…not right now. You need to go." He opened the door to his office gesturing for her to leave.

She looked at him confused, and tried to ask, "Well can James still come to his birthday game?"

"I don't know. I'm not really sure about anything at the moment."

"I was planning to invite him to the players' rooms again," she whispered quickly hoping to get it all out before he stopped her.

"Just…go…now," he said to her sharply. She seemed disoriented by his sudden dismissal, but turned and left through the door quickly while he stared at the spot she had just left.

* * *

(July 10, 2016)

Ariella stared at the ground below her. Everything made more sense to her when she was in the air. There were fewer rules to this game than the game of life. She just had to score a goal, watch for the Bludgers, and hope her team won.

"Aye, Pucey, you beat us out here did you?" Oliver asked from the ground.

"Of course, I wasn't bloody well snogging my wife good-bye," she retorted. They both new it was all in jest. Ariella enjoyed making Oliver blush over his small displays of affection he shared with his wife, mainly because she envied what they had.

However, she needed Oliver to start practice, because her mind kept racing back to what happened five nights ago. Ariella couldn't stop remembering the way she had responded to Harry's kiss, and it was distracting. Her body definitely kept communicating that she enjoyed it, but her head was so confused. She had never been so involved with a kiss the way she was that night.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Harry Potter's Idea**

(July 16, 2016)

James stood outside the gates of the Tornadoes' Quidditch pitch and bounced from foot to foot in line. He had been counting down the days to this match for two weeks.

"Relax James, we have seen a bunch of these matches," Al tried to calm his older brother.

"It's not the same," he whined for the hundredth time that day. Harry smiled at his eldest son. He understood the boy's excitement. This was just not any match to him; this was the match he was personally invited to by his hero.

"Just leave him be Al," Harry said to his youngest son. It had been over a week since Harry had kissed Ariella in his office, but he kept drifting back to it in his mind. It almost made him forego coming to the match today. He almost sent Ron with the kids by himself. Ariella had sent enough tickets for the lot to go, and Harry kept going back and forth between whether he would accompany everyone. The memory of her tousled and looking shocked just wouldn't erase itself from his mind's eye. Harry didn't understand what about that moment had been so surprising to her. It may have been that he unprofessionally kissed her in his office, but even that seemed too farfetched to be the reason. His mind kept coming back to the idea that she just couldn't believe her reaction to it.

"Oi, Harry, they're letting us in for the practice session," Ron said trying to get his attention. Harry shook his head and tried to focus on the task at hand.

The lot of them was ushered to a special box for the practice session that they would remain in for the actual match. There was a table with food and drinks, plenty of cushy seats, and binoculars.

Ron shook his head, "With these seats I don't think we need the binoculars. She really outdid even Malfoy." Harry nodded. This was the nicest accommodations they had ever had at a Tutshill match. Ariella had clearly pulled some weight around the pitch to get this.

The kids helped themselves to snacks as the Tutshill players took the pitch for their thirty minute before-match practice session. James ran back to his seat at the front of the box; it was denoted by his name and a charmed blue balloon.

"This is so wicked!" He screamed as he watched the players practice. Al rolled his eyes and sat down next to his brother.

Ariella flew up to the private box, "How is everything?" She was flushed from flying, but there was another look in her eyes as she looked at Harry.

"This is way more than necessary," Harry responded trying to get the image of her flustered from their kiss out of his head. "James what do you say?" He encouraged his son.

"Thank you Ariella Pucey! This is the best birthday ever!" James shouted with delight.

Ariella nodded, "You're welcome James Potter. Back to practice or Wood will have my broom."

James sat on the edge of his seat as he watched the Chasers do formation drills.

Harry did the same.

The match was against the Wasps and it was clear that Tutshill was the favourite. They had won the last four matches they played.

"PUCEY PASSES THE QUAFFLE TO ZABINI WHO SWERVES PAST THE WASPS BEATER. HE THROWS TO DAVIES, DAVIES THROWS BACK. ZABINI GETS TO THE GOAL POSTS, AND HE THROWS THE QUAFFLE…STRAIGHT UP?" The announcer sounded confused until a strawberry-blonde bolt came down the pitch, caught the Quaffle and tossed it into the left goal.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THE TORNADOES JUST DID THAT PLAY!" The announcer voiced his disbelief.

"That was bloody amazing!" James shouted and leaned forward on the rail of the box. He was so impressed and to learn that formation.

"AND THE RACE FOR THE SNITCH IS UNDERWAY! MALFOY IS LEANING FORWARD. AND…HE'S GOT IT FOLKS! THE SCORE IS 300 TO 50 MAKING IT ANOTHER TORNADOES' WIN! ALSO THE TORNADOES WOULD LIKE TO WISH JAMES POTTER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

James turned a peculiar shade of pink at the mention of his birthday. Harry chuckled because he knew how embarrassed James was by loud announcements about him.

When they all had made it to the players' quarters, Harry and the rest of the lot were stunned to see streamers, balloons, and a cake.

"Happy birthday!" The team greeted James with the game Quaffle. James was so excited he nearly fell over from it all.

Harry noticed Ariella having a heated discussion with Davies. He went to her and pulled her aside in order to thank her, "Ariella, this is amazing. It's way overdoing it, but amazing nonetheless."

Ariella nodded at his gratitude.

* * *

(July 17, 2016)

Harry watched as the kids roamed the Burrow's yard. Molly had planned this Sunday's dinner around James' birthday. She had set up a table in the front for a cake and presents.

James, Fred, Al, Scorpius, and Hugo were all tossing the Quaffle James got the day before at the match. He had told every detail of the experience to his cousins.

Harry sighed. Every one of his adopted siblings were staring and worried about him since Ron had let slip to George that Harry had snogged Ariella in their office.

"So Harry, what's it like to kiss Ariella Pucey?" George inquired raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Shove it," Harry replied, but didn't quite get away before Hermione approached him.

She grabbed his sleeve, "You can talk to me."

Harry hated when she gave him that look. It was the 'I'm your best mate you should talk to me' look. He sighed, followed her to a seat, and waited for her to speak.

"Ron told us you were kissing Ariella Pucey. How do you feel about it?" Hermione asked, approaching it like a problem to solve.

"I don't know. She reminds me a lot of Ginny and it makes me wary. At the same time she's been overly kind to James. Did Ron tell you about yesterday?" She told him that Ron explained the whole day in great detail to her.

"Maybe you should explore the idea and be cautious," she suggested. Harry was hesitant to commit to this idea, but it seemed the most logical. Logical was what was expected from Hermione Granger-Weasley.

* * *

(July 22, 2016)

Taking Hermione's advice, Harry found himself going to the Tutshill pitch after he finished with some paperwork in his office on Friday. He stood outside the players' rooms waiting for the object of too many fantasies made her way out of them.

Draco found Harry outside because he was the first to leave, "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting to speak to Ariella," he answered nonchalantly. Draco looked at him for a moment, "Just don't be an arse again." With his mind spoken, Draco disapparated.

A few more of the players left, Harry saying hello to each of them, before Ariella was in the corridor with him. She was stunned to see him at first, but assumed he was here to speak to Draco. She then realized Draco had left long before her, and yet Harry was still here.

Harry noticing her confusion spoke, "I'm here to talk to you. Fancy some dinner?"

Ariella nodded because she didn't trust her voice to say anything for her. First he makes her stay away, then he apologizes, and now he's taking her to dinner. Harry Potter was a very confusing man.

He took her hand and did a side-along apparition with her to one of his favorite cafes in Diagon Alley.

Once they were seated, Harry looked at her. He wanted to tell her that he was going to let James spend whatever time he would like for the rest of the summer doing training or whatever it was she had planned with Tutshill. It was the best thing for his son especially knowing that James wanted nothing more than to become a Quidditch player one day.

"So, Harry, what did you want to talk to me about?" Ariella asked warily, her emotions for him ranging from anger to arousal at the moment.

"I wanted to tell you that I'll let James spend whatever time with the team for the rest of the summer. What you had said about him being able to have access to a professional team this young, it makes sense. I was being stubborn," he answered her as someone came by with their glasses of water.

"Okay, well you didn't need to take me to dinner to tell me that."

"I wasn't finished. Even though I know this is against my better judgment, I want to see you socially."

Ariella looked at him bewildered, "Don't you think that would be a conflict of interest with James spending time with my team? And, if it's against your better judgment, then why would you want to do it?"

"I think that we're able to separate the professional from the personal. We're both single. And even though it's against my better judgment I'm bloody well attracted to you and I know you feel the same about me." He answered as the waiter returned.

They both placed orders with him before continuing with the conversation.

"You're right. I can't deny that I find you attractive and that I enjoyed kissing you. I just don't know if this is the best idea right now. You have me puzzled about what it is you want. You send me away with instructions not to talk to your son, then you change your mind. I don't know if I can handle a relationship with those kinds of ups and downs," she explained to him as she thought about the issues with Roger and Everett before him. Cheating, lying, it was too much for her to go through again this soon after leaving Roger.

Harry stared at her. She was not telling him something. He heard her say that she was attracted to him, but she was still saying no.

"I'm sure whatever you're hiding from me is the real reason you are saying no, but rest assured that I'm going to ask you again.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Ariella Pucey's Everyday Life**

(July 25, 2006)

James stood by his dad as patiently as he could while they waited for Ariella to meet them at the players' entrance to the locker rooms. Today was the first day of what Harry was calling James' internship with the Tornadoes.

"Remember, Ariella said that you will have three hours of observation and she'll be collecting your notes. She wants you to know drills and plays before you're allowed to participate," Harry reminded James again. They had exchanged letters to work out the details and to make sure James was also doing academic-like work to promote good behaviors for when he started Hogwarts in September.

James rolled his eyes and muttered, "I know Dad." Harry chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair just as the private entrance opened.

"Good morning," Ariella greeted the pair. James beamed up at her in a Tornadoes' polo and denim trousers. He clearly was ready for his first day with a notebook and writing instrument in hand.

"Hello Ariella Pucey," he returned her greeting with a big grin. She smiled at him and gestured for the both of them to follow her. They approached a section that had been set aside specifically for James. It had a desk along with a cubby for Quidditch gear. The gear James would receive those items when he passed Ariella's test.

Harry watched as James set-up his stuff on the desk and then returned to Ariella's side. "Alright mate, I'll be back here in three hours when you're done. The team and I need to set-up your Floo route to the Burrow for the rest of the internship," he mentioned. His eyes roamed to Ariella and he thought about how he wanted to kiss her again. Harry knew that he couldn't act on that impulse, though. First, it would be wrong to do that in front of his son and second, he knew that Ariella would not permit it right now. She had made it very clear at Friday's dinner that she couldn't get involved with him. However, Harry was taking that as a challenge.

"Have a good time. I have to get to the Ministry to dole out raids before I pick you back up," he finished before giving James a hug and returning back to the entrance.

James turned to Ariella, "So what do we do now?"

"Well we go out to the grounds and you do some notes on our plays and drills for the next three hours." They walked out into a special area for important guests. The team gathered at the railing on their brooms. Oliver made the announcement that James was participating in a summer program with them. The team clapped for the young boy.

"Your seat is over there. I'm going to join the team now," she said as she pointed to a big chair with a desk just for him. Ariella then mounted her broom and met with the team.

"Harry's got a good kid there," Wood commented softly to Ariella as he watched James settle into the chair and immediately open his notepad.

"Yes, that's why I wanted to get him in here. He's a good kid and he wants to play so bad that he deserves the chance to get a bit ahead," Ariella responded to him.

Draco joined there conversation, "Well if he's as pig-headed as his bloody father then he'll end up playing no matter what." They all laughed at that before Oliver whistled for the start of drill practice.

James watched intently as the seven of the Tornadoes players started their routines. The beginning had each player doing three laps around the Pitch, stop for two minutes and repeating. He wrote this in his notebook and made an educated guess as to why Captain Wood had them do this exercise. In his untidy scrawl he wrote about the laps being a way for the players to maintain their ability to control brooms at high speeds.

* * *

Harry fiddled at his desk.

"Mate, could you stop? You're being a bit distracting?" Ron asked from his spot across the room. He was focusing intently on some raid forms and Harry's constant shifting and moving was pulling his concentration.

Harry just nodded, "Sorry." He just couldn't concentrate and the little unicorn paperweight that Lily had made him two years ago was currently the only thing to manipulate while he thought. Ariella had been alluring, even in the Quidditch gear. Okay, he had to be honest with himself; she was probably that much more appealing because of the Quidditch gear. He sighed. Harry having thoughts like that were the ones that got him into his current life as it was. However, he still couldn't resist wanting her.

"You do have some raid orders you're supposed to be assigning," Ron suggested as he heard Harry sigh.

"I know. I'm going to do that now."

Ron heard the weird edge to Harry's voice. He got up, closed the door to their office, and gave his friend a solemn look. "What is it?"

Harry hated having to share this with Ron, but after fifteen years of friendship he knew the other man wouldn't let it go until he told. "I have odd feelings about Ariella. I want to have some sort of relationship with her, but at the same time she feels like Ginny all over again."

Ron nodded. He hated that it was his sister who had broken Harry's heart, but at the same time couldn't help but notice that Harry could be falling into the same pattern. His best friend had an undeniable attraction to strong, powerful, and Quidditch-playing women- Cho, Ginny, and now Ariella. Plus, Ariella had a lot of similar physical features to the youngest Weasley and that worried Ron even more.

"Well you can't fight attraction. What exactly is it about her?" Ron asked in an attempt to see if he had to save his friend from another devastating heart break.

Harry thought for a few seconds before answering, "She's bloody gorgeous, I can tell that she has some fighter to her because she would have to, being the first woman on the team, and then just that she has an interest in James and Quidditch."

Ron listened. A lot of those were the same reasons that Harry had fallen in love with Ginny. The only thing that was different was that Ariella was interested in James. It had been obvious since James' birth that Ginny was not interested in children or at least not interested in children then. James had been an announcement that no one expected. Harry and Ginny had only been married for four months when they found out about him. He wondered if it was just a focus for the famous Chaser to be interested in James because of his interest in her or if she genuinely liked all of the kids.

"Okay, well those are good reasons for wanting her, but what about Al and Lily? I mean she seems to have a lot of interest in James and that's nice. However, anyone you bring into your life is going to affect all three of them. And, even if you try to hide it, they'll eventually find out."

"I know they'll find out. Even so, she has asked about Lily and Al previously. I think it's just easier for her to connect with James because he makes it that way. It is something that worries me, how James would be if we were dating or if we were dating and it bloody well ended up the same as his mother."

Ron thought about Harry's words. He knew that Hermione had suggested that Harry go for it, but do it with caution. He had the same idea. Harry had a way of attacking something he set his mind to, and if he had chosen to pursue Ariella, then there was no way Ron could stop him. "Just be careful," were the only things Ron said before he reopened the door and went back to his files.

Harry didn't really need to say anything has he only had two hours before he had to be back at the Tutshill Pitch to pick up James. He would take Ron's advice to heart. It didn't surprise Harry that it was the same as Hermione's. The two of them had always been in sync when it came to their best friend.

* * *

A security wizard walked Harry back to the players' area once he returned to get James. After the guard had dropped Harry in a waiting area, he thanked him and watched as the man returned to his post. It was nice for Harry to know they had a professional security staff around his son. There were still some occasional mad wizards and witches that tried to poke at the Potter children.

Harry took a seat on the bench near James' work station to wait for everyone to come back in from the grounds. He looked around and saw the differences between the players' lockers. Wood's looked just as it had in school, pristine.

"Dad!" James shouted as he came in from his spot in the stands. Harry looked up at him and noticed the big grin across his son's face.

"Have a good day there, mate?"

"Yes. I learned a lot of new drills," James answered as he rushed over with his notebook to show his father. As James went through the notebook showing Harry all the different things he had learned, the players joined them. They had just finished changing in their private rooms and were now bringing stuff to the lockers.

Ariella noticed Harry sitting with James, "I see you found your dad to share."

Harry looked up at the sound of Ariella's voice. He gave her a warm smile as he took in the sight of her in plain denim trousers and a simple blue tee. Even in the simplest of clothes she was still fit.

"How was he?" He asked keeping his attention both on James and Ariella at the same time. Being a single father of three had given him that random talent.

"He was great. James is a bloody brilliant kid," she said honestly.

With a ruffle to James' hair, Harry responded, "Thanks. I'm not sure he gets that from me, but glad to know it."

They were interrupted by Draco, "Ariella, Wood wants to talk to you. I'll escort Scarhead and James out." She nodded at him, said good-bye to James and Harry, and then walked off to the captain.

Draco, James, and Harry were halfway down the exit corridor when Harry paused. "Malfoy, I'll meet you at the exit. I forgot to mention Floo plans to Ariella."

Ariella had finished her chat with Wood and was going back to her locker when Roger stopped her. "Ariella, come home with me. We should talk about this misunderstanding." She sighed. Since when was cheating a misunderstanding?

"We've been through this. I'm not your girlfriend anymore." She tried to walk away from him, but Davies grabbed her arm, roughly. "Let go," she said with venom.

Harry had just rounded the corner to see Ariella staring daggers at Roger.

"Davies, as an Auror, I have to ask you to let her go," Harry said in a mild, but authoritative voice. Roger immediately dropped Ariella's arm but glared at the other man. Ariella just shook her head at the male bravado of it all.

She sighed, "You didn't have to do that. I can take care of myself."

"But I'm Harry Potter and I tend to do what is right even if other people don't want me to," he responded cheekily. She shook her head at him.

"What do you want Harry Potter?"

"I just came back to ask you to please make sure you watch as James Floos to his grandparents' home. I had a nasty trip once because I said the wrong thing and I don't want him to end up somewhere he shouldn't be," he explained as he took a few steps closer to examine her arm.

Ariella covered the red mark left by Roger's hand and responded, "Of course. I intended on making sure that he got wherever he needed to be. And, really, I'm fine."

Harry knew that she wasn't, but let it drop for the time being. He knew he couldn't be too persistent right now if he wanted to have a chance. So instead he made his way back to the exit to take his son home.


End file.
